I Swear
by Faeriessence
Summary: She should be furious. But there was nothing and no one left for that wrath to be taken out on. It seemed that only the pain and grief remained...She looked up and all of a sudden, she saw one fire fighter slowly making his way out of the gymnasium. The cladded figure stopped and stood there. Just stood there. (Picks up right at the end of the movie. AnnaxDavid)
1. Chapter 1

**Hallelujah! A Guest fan fiction thread! Waited for months. :I But I was disappointed that most of the stories have nothing to do with any of the movie characters other than David. I was really hoping for someone to expound on Anna and David's relationship. (I mean, we all know what it was. It was pretty cool but damn frustrating that they never acted on it. But that only makes me respect Anna more.) Ah well. Better to just take matters into your own hands.**

 **Written on a whim, and written really fast. Figured that small details weren'** **t incredibly necessary for this fic. I hope to wrap this up quick lest I get bored. DX**

 **Enjoy! :)**

Chapter 1

When it was all over, she felt a numbness sink in.

Anna sat there, despondent; Luke was more so. A couple of hours ago, their parents had died- murdered by a man whom they had welcomed into their home, welcomed into their brokenhearted family. Like a son, a brother… a romantic fantasy.

She should be furious. But there was nothing and no one left for that wrath to be taken out on. It seemed that only the pain and grief remained. Perhaps some of that anger would return in the future. But right now, all she wanted to do was cry.

The government was more than willing to pay for the damages- and pay for whatever medical treatment, both physical and psychological, that the two teenagers will certainly need. But it was obvious that they had to also keep their mouth shut about the military program.

That _fucking_ military program that most likely killed their brother, and brought that war-machine into their home.

There was a tight pain in her chest. She wanted to break down so badly to release the tension, but for some reason she couldn't. Anna's expression remained detached but deep down, there were too many things running through her mind. Her eyes glazed over.

A medical expert came over to tend to them and check their physical and mental states. It was Luke's turn so Anna had been left to her musings.

Firefighters approached the ambulance the two sat in. She didn't quite catch what they were saying. It didn't really matter either.

Until they mentioned the body count.

She looked up and all of a sudden, she saw one fire fighter slowly making his way (limping) out of the gymnasium.

The cladded figure stopped and stood there. Just stood there. The night had made his features hardly distinguishable under the firefighter headgear. And yet, she could _feel_ the tension- the _heated stare,_ concealed, but was undoubtedly fixed on her.

Anna's slumped posture straightened back rigidly. Panic washed over her, hot and cold all at once, and it shocked her back to life.

"What the fuck!"

"What's wrong?"

Anna quickly turned to the medic in front of her brother. Luke was looking at her expectantly, and anxiously- traumatized enough.

Anna looked at them in disbelief, mouth agape and twitching- finding it very difficult to form a coherent answer. She looked back, dead frightened of what would happen next. For all she knew, the next thing she would see would be the man standing right in front of her.

And then there was no one.

She should be relieved but it did not ease her fears at all. In fact, she was more terrified and at the brink of being hysterical. Luke and the medic turned to look at the spot she was staring at with wide eyes.

"He was- he was right there!" She whispered frantically.

Luke shifted in his spot, becoming extremely uncomfortable. The medic reached out to put her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Who?"

In an instant, she felt her control and sanity snap like a toothpick.

"We have to get out of here! Please! Right now! Get us out of here!" The words came spilling out, sounding shaky and panicked.

"Miss, I need you to tell me what you saw."

Anna turned to the medic sharply. She didn't realize until then that tears were now streaming down her face. The woman gave her a concerned look. Anna didn't know what to say, except-

"Just get us out of here! _Please!_ I don't want to be here! Take us to the hospital!"

Her desperation was clear. In her voice, in her eyes, in the way she was fidgeting…The medic understood and nodded curtly. "We'll do that right away."

In the next few minutes, they rushed to the general hospital. Anna refused to say anything else, holding a troubled gaze all throughout. Luke only stared at her, knowing exactly what was what.

When they arrived at the medical institution, Anna's leg wound was immediately treated. She was then admitted and given a private room. She had been adamant on having Luke stay with her the entire time.

That night, after the doctors left, Anna laid on her bed, curling under the bed sheets. Luke half-laid and half-sat on the cushioned bench next to her, idly flipping through the channels on the overhead mounted television.

There was a brief silence before she roughly spoke.

"Luke… lock the door."

Her voice was throaty, and frightened. Her brother looked at her. The frozen expression on her face was all it took for him to get up from his spot and walk over to the door. After that, he sat back down. The cartoons flashing on the TV screen was the only noise that filled the room. It did little to alleviate the tension. The world had suddenly become just the two of them as a thick silence formed between the siblings.

"…Did you really see him?"

Luke silently spoke. Anna's eyes remained unmoving but she nodded slowly. They both said nothing for a while.

"…What now?"

Anna didn't know how to answer him. She was the older one here. She was responsible for Luke. And she didn't know how to protect them both.

"I don't know…"

Luke turned off the TV. Anna wouldn't meet his stare. He was frightened but he felt terribly bad for his sister. He was the younger one. But he didn't want her to think he was helpless. He dug into his pocket to feel the butterfly knife that was given to him. Keeping the blade was ironic but it was a good thing he did.

The anxiety kept them up for hours. But everything took a toll by the time the sun was peeking out in the horizon. Pain, grief and anxiety melted away in their sleep. They dreamt of nothing. They needed that respite.

...

Miles away, in the midst of debris and corpses, in the center of the broken down Petersons' residence, a firefighter stood. A heavy sigh of relief and exhaustion escaped as he removed the headgear. He had a _very_ long walk.

He was built for endurance. It was going to take more than stab wounds to kill him. For some damned reason, the knife missed his heart. Funny. He was actually looking forward to dying.

The man limped across the living room, towards the bedroom he once occupied. He gathered some clothes from his duffel bag and made his way to the bathroom. He shed off the suit, revealing a sculpted body marred with battle scars, _other marks,_ and fresh wounds. He stepped under the shower, washing away the sweat that clung to his blond hair and the blood that painted his skin.

He got out of the bathroom, clean and fresh but tired and wounded. Still, it was little to nothing compared to what he had gone through before his time with his comrade's family. The former soldier returned to his room and patched himself up with the medical kit he always had in his bag. Soldiers like him had these essentials.

He couldn't stay here. He knew the military would search the place the next day. He needed get moving now and fast. The man packed all his belongings. He fished out the mix CD he had stuffed into the firefighter's suit pocket and tossed it into the bag.

Before he walked out the front door, he took one last look at a set of picture frames, eyes focused on that of a small wooden one with a girl and boy in the picture. For a while he hesitated, before grabbing it and placing it inside his bag's pocket.

The next thing was he was out the door, onto a long stretch of road and a wide expanse of flat lands.

Pain shot up each time he made a step.

As much as he wanted to stop, he wasn't done just yet.

 **I never quite memorized the layout of the home. To be continued.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Anna and Luke had been in the hospital for two days.

Anna's physician whom they knew as Doctor Jimenez often came to check on them each day- a kind, gentle woman in her late fifties that dearly reminded them of their mother. Neither Anna nor Luke would admit it. A psychiatrist had also arrived on the second day.

They didn't seem to have to do anything to get accommodated. Anna could only assume that the military police had made all the arrangements. They should. After all the Peterson kids had gone through, the military ought to pay for _everything._

Anna had a newfound resentment towards them. Lying in a hospital bed, hopeless and helpless gave her plenty of time to think. Luke was a more productive though. He often went out of the room to stretch his legs. Anna didn't like it when he stayed out too long. She would call him whenever he was gone for more than an hour.

 _Nothing for two days._

It had almost put her at ease. But then again, who really knew the psychopath? Anna found herself clenching her teeth at the thought of _David_. _Now_ she was angry. But that didn't mean she wasn't the least bit terrified of the man.

She turned her head to the sound of the doorknob clicking open. Luke stepped in with a paper bag of burgers. The person that followed was an unfamiliar face. A beautiful woman in her early thirties of African American descent. She was wearing a military uniform.

Anna remained still, but didn't bother to hide her immediate apprehension towards the stranger and her badge.

"This is… ugh… Sergeant Halway. Says she knew Major Carver." Luke said with uncertainty.

The woman smiled softly with a short nod.

"Good afternoon Ms. Peterson. I was the one you spoke with on the phone when you contacted the military base." _Ah, right._ "How's your leg?"

She was a communications officer and judging by her pleasant bearing, she was good at her job. It surprisingly eased away some of the hostility. But that for certain, was not the reason why she was here.

"Doctor said I'll live." Anna quipped with a lazy smirk. Halway smiled at this, hands behind her back in a cordial manner.

"Anna, can I call you Anna?" The young adult on the bed nodded. The officer paused before she continued. "I volunteered to come to you to talk about your temporary relocation."

The officer had spoken quite gently, much like a guardian. But how she spoke did not amount to the gravity of her words which took longer to sink in.

"Wait. What?" The officer now had her full attention as Anna propped herself up, obviously perturbed.

"It's for your own safety. There is an on-going manhunt for David Collins. We need to transfer you to a secure location before he gets the chance to come after you."

There were no flowery words of persuasion. She was direct to the point because there no time to win their consent. But Anna on the other hand was having trouble processing the facts.

"You want us to go with you? After what your _shitty_ health experiment did?"

Halway looked contrite, but she was not going to take no for an answer.

"We're terribly sorry for your loss. But right now, this is the best way we can protect you and your brother. You will be well accommodated, I assure you."

"Bullshit." Luke stared at her as though she was some bratty kid. She wasn't acting so far off.

"Can we…? Can you give us minute?" He said to the sergeant, with his usual hesitance. The woman nodded politely before exiting the room. It was just the two of them- Anna looking away, arms folded, and Luke standing at the side of her bed.

"Anna. I think we should listen to them."

She turned to him sharply, glaring at her brother.

"Are you insane? They're talking about hiding us. Making us disappear. You think we'll be any safer? Why not just put up a huge sign on the hospital for David to find. Saves us from the trouble." Luke pursed his lips.

"I'm going with them."

Anna gave him an appalled look.

"Who else do we have left?!" Luke exclaimed, arms spread out. "Anna, please. We don't have a choice. We'd be a lot safer and we'd be keeping people safe from us. He's going to kill anybody who gets involved. You know that."

His sister placed a hand over her mouth, tears threatening to escape from her eyes.

There goes her college plan. Her inconspicuous life. Everything she dreamed of having for her and her family. Things were not going to be the same after this. She was sure.

…

Two months had passed. The wound on his leg had healed remarkably fast. It was the first time he ever had to perform self-surgery. A rainy day, he recalled. He couldn't forget. It was on Anna's twenty-first birthday.

The man hunt was still on-going. They were hot on his trail, and he was moving from state to state. He'd grown out a short beard during the time and dyed his hair a dark brown. He completed this 'new' look with a pair of large cheap Ray-Ban knockoffs. David Collins was no more. David now went by Kale Parker, a dead man's name he found in a small district hospital.

He avoided killing as much as possible. It caused more trouble than it was worth. Somewhere along his cross-nation hike, he learned other alternatives. Lies to cover lies. It was hard to cover up at first. The first few tries ended with a few kills. _He has got to get a hold of it._ But there was an improvement.

He was starting to run low on cash. The soldier opted to stay in a small dirt town and found himself a job as a mechanic in a small shop. It paid for the motel room, so that was fine.

Though the search for him had caused some complications in his agenda, he had made some _considerable_ progress.

He was at the general hospital where Anna and Luke stayed in, two months earlier.

He disguised himself, found connections- _made_ connections. A little difficult when his leg wound was fresh- but, he managed. And he learned that the military was taking them underground.

…

This protection program was _bullshit._

Anna had been looking out the tall floor to ceiling windows at one of the military base's offices. She had been staring at the landscape for some time. Luke was lounging on the sofa, playing with a rubber band that he found among the stationary supplies inside an office desk.

"Halway said they're still making arrangements."

Anna smirked at Luke's passive statement. _Of course they were._ They had been in the facility for two months. Why hadn't they been relocated?

"How important are we to them, exactly?"

Luke looked up from his little distraction. Anna was expecting him to say anything. As usual, Luke hadn't bothered to put two and two together.

"The only thing that's keeping us here, is the fact we know about this fucking health program. If word gets outs, this could ruin them."

"So they're keeping us here for good?"

Anna didn't respond. There was no _fucking_ way she was going to spend the rest of her days here. And no way in hell was she going to be a part of whatever this was.

"We better stick to Halway though. She seems to be the only one who cares about us." Anna nodded. For once, Luke said something that she completely agreed with.

…

 _Still making arrangements_ , was an understatement.

Irene Halway had been doing all she could to find them a suitable hideout. But coordinating with military personnel was more difficult when done _alone_. The well-being of the Petersons was not a primary objective to them. She stepped up to the task, and she was going to do everything she could to keep those kids safe.

But what was the safety of two non-assets to a private military corporation? They were liabilities. And what of their credibility if those kids don't keep their secret? It already ruined their lives.

Irene was aware of the situation. She was _not_ going to leave Anna and Luke in the hands of the company that started the health program.

"Mr. Hendricks, you cannot take away these kids. They have a right to live in a safe home! The relocation process is underway. I'm _telling_ you. I'm doing everything I can!" The private corporation's officer was walking briskly, trying his best to ignore her and shake her off. But Irene was persistent, trailing right behind the busy and frazzled officer.

"Oh yeah? How's that working out for you?" The man swiftly turned on his heels, daring her to answer. Irene was stunned and stopped where she stood. Hendricks had enough of this. There were _more_ pressing matters. It would be so much easier to do away with the Petersons than deal with their security and everything that came with it.

"Sergeant Halway, Major Carver led this operation. He dedicated his career to developing advanced weaponry to protect this nation. Are you going to jeopardize his life's work, his legacy?"

Irene took a step closer, speaking dangerously low. "My uncle _died_ protecting those two. I would do the same. If you do anything to them, you won't see the end of this." The look on her face said the truth. The man let out an exasperated breath.

"You're going to sue us?"

"I'm going to shut you down." Irene retorted, with a threatening edge to her tone. She meant every word. "Your corporation is not my uncle's legacy. I know he immediately stopped testing when one of your subjects began killing people." The man averted his gaze, obviously feeling some amount of guilt. He paused to think it over. Irene was still standing very close, refusing to give him the time of day.

"Fine. We'll do it your way." Halway's expression lightened considerably but fell as soon as it did. "But on our terms." The officer rubbed his forehead, his exhaustion was apparent.

"Sergeant, the Petersons' knowledge of the experiment can lead to a whole lot of people losing their jobs. Think about that. We'll help you find them a home. Outside the country. To keep them safe and away from the public eye."

Irene looked at him critically, lips pressed together into a thin line. This was the best option. She felt uncertain but her silence meant her agreement.

 **Super rushed. Busy college life. Sigh. oTL But I don't want to let this go and lose the mood.**

 **Now about the Sergeant Irene Halway. Her first name is made up but you'd remember her as the military officer that Anna called. It was such a pleasant surprise to see a familiar face in the movie. She was played by Candice Patton, aka Iris West in The Flash :D**

 **I decided to add her for the feels. And I'd rather you not try to go into detail about the whole military operation. I'm not that well read in that part and how the government works in this way. So yep :I It was just a vehicle to get the story going. Sorry!**

 **Divided this whole thing into 2 chapters because you might get dazed by the walls of text. And this chapter was all about development.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

An entire year had passed since that night.

Nine months earlier they moved to a cottage in a small town in England. The relocation program might have overdone it, sending them across the Atlantic to a whole other continent. But by happenstance- they had a distant relative there.

More or less, they were actually content with this. Moving to England was more refreshing than they had expected it to be. The town was small and charming- buildings of stone bricks, cobblestone roads and small farms. Their 'distant relative', was a middle aged man with graying brown hair by the name of Edgar Banks. Together with his wife Mary- a charming lady, with a sunny disposition that matched her golden hair- they owned a small retail store in town. Anna immediately accepted the job of cashier there.

The Banks had a twenty-two year old daughter. Margot, was a petite young brunette woman with green doe eyes, who had inherited her parents' pleasant bearings. She had just come home from college, spending the summer in town. She and Anna got along well, and the one way she did it, was by taking her distant cousin out for a night in the town, getting her acquainted with some close friends.

To think, they disappeared off the face of America, hiding away in this little dot on a map. For a second, she had almost felt gratitude to the military. But she doubted she could ever forgive them. They still had occasional calls from Halway. In time, Anna and Luke had begun to look to her like an older sister.

The pain had ebbed away over the months. She was more sullen these days. Her brother was the same as he was before, but with obvious reasons.

Anna's primary focus was to go to college. Luke had continued his education in a local high school. Life went on.

She was going to start University in a few months. Anna felt a warm sensation at the thought. She realized that it was the feeling of hope. She often thought about the events that led up to each day she was living, and hid away in the bedroom for most of the time- making mix CDs that she would listen to. She removed the songs that reminded her of _him_. Anna couldn't stand the thought of _him._

The mornings were cold, the days a little warmer, but the nights were the coldest. Figures. She was in England. Her curly hair had lost its volume. It could be the weather or maybe she just stopped maintaining it. Anna decided to perm it. It was still blond but wavy.

She liked staying at home, but when she wasn't, she'd be in the store or with Margot. Luke liked to wander off in his spare time. He met a _friend_ that he often brought home. Anna was glad that he finally met someone that resonated with him.

Mary and Margot also liked teaching her how to cook. This was one of her favorite past times, second to creating music.

Life was coming together and Anna felt more at home than she ever was since Afghanistan took their brother away.

But the feeling of _anxiety_ often wormed its way back. Whenever it did, Anna would drown herself in music and she would lose herself in it.

…

It was late in the afternoon when their doorbell rang. Anna hadn't been paying much attention, more invested in the new mix she had just made. She was the only one at home.

The doorbell rang again, thrice. This time she noticed. She stopped playing the music and removed her head phones. The silence was not quite welcoming.

Suddenly, she felt a sense of trepidation. It was just her and the knocks on the door.

She walked to the foyer, slowly moving to the door to place her palm on it. Hesitantly, she looked through the peephole. With a sigh of relief, she opened it.

"I thought you had your keys."

"Forgot them." Luke said as he stepped in, followed by Rob.

Luke had acquired a small accent over the months. Good. It meant he was socializing. He was also looking better; his hair was shorter, cleaner. His hoodie was down now. Anna smiled at this pleasant change, then at Luke and his friend.

She turned to lock the door. But stopped in front of it and frowned to herself... That felt _odd._ Suddenly, she had become very anxious and did not know why. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Anna spent a great deal pondering over it.

The next night, Margot took her out to the local pub. "Come on. I could use drink. You could too." The brunette smiled cheerfully, dragging her cousin with her.

The heavy smell of smoke and alcohol smothered them as they entered the room. The first thing she noticed were the clearly under aged customers huddling together in small groups. On the far side of the pub was a small circle of Margot's friends, calling them over to their table.

"Margot! Anna!"

"Hey guys!" There was such a stark difference between their demeanors that Margot looked to like she was glowing.

"What's the matter, Anna?" One girl, Jenna, asked. Anna turned to her, eyes brows raised in question.

"Yeah. You look kind of down." John added.

The woman shook her head, smiling apologetically. "I'm... sorry. I just..."

"Don't pressure her, guys." Margot chided. They sat down with the group. For an hour, they were laughing and drinking beers. Anna had about three bottles. Her tolerance was relatively good. She wasn't inebriated yet. But she did feel the buzz.

"Let's get out of here. I wanna dance." Katelyn pointed to the door. They left the pub and went straight to a night club.

Music boomed into their eardrums.

John had suggested they drink shots. Anna wasn't so keen on it but they pressured her anyway. With a nonchalant smile, she gave in. Five shots of Tequila, she was done for.

They took to the dance floor. The girls had made John promise earlier to keep an eye on whoever got wasted. Margot pulled Anna into the crowd. She felt like sloppy mush, and imagined that she was slithering into the tight spaces between bodies.

"How are you doing?!" Margot yelled through the rave music.

"Fine!" Anna yelled back. The two laughed.

Now she was inebriated. She decided her mind was still sober enough to form coherent speech. But her body language spoke otherwise. She and Margot lost it in the crowd. Their friends stayed together in a small circle. But sooner, each of them began dancing with a partner.

A pair of strong arms turned her attention from Margot. Her cousin merely whooped in approval. Anna was facing a handsome young man with short blonde hair and a charming smile. She found herself giggling at the earlier gesture. She didn't know him, but he was cute. It wasn't a good reason but she didn't think of it. The dance started out as playful then escalated quickly. The man pulled her closer and began to grind. Her current state didn't feel violated and she went with it, grinding back.

Suddenly, her dance partner dipped down and kiss her open mouth. She tasted alcohol but reciprocated. Their raunchy dance lasted a couple more minutes before the man pulled her away. Anna allowed herself to be guided out of the crowd.

"Where's Anna?!" Margot yelled. Her question was drowned out by the club.

Anna realized that he had pulled her into a lonely corner. Before she could ask, he started groping her. His tongue invaded her mouth. Initially, she was stunned- before she joined in. But she soon realized that the man was interested in something far more than erotic touches and hard kisses.

"Nn..No." She managed to say, pushing the guy's face away. She didn't want go too far tonight. He simply ignored this and slid his hands up her thighs, pushing her skirt up. _No_.

"No! Stop!" She yelled. The club was still louder and the man, much stronger.

"What the fuck?! I said stop!" Anna shoved him away. In his drunken state, the man staggered a few inches backwards.

"Just relax, will you?" Anna evaded his attempt to corner her again but the man quickly grabbed her hand. Anna turned to glare at the man as she tried to shake him off.

"Look, I'm sorry." The man said. But he was clearly not apologizing. He yanked her back into his arms. Anna struggled to get away. She was about to protest once more-

"Excuse me, but is this guy bothering you?" A smug voiced called out from behind. _Of course he was._

"Fuck off!" The man yelled.

Anna looked up at the stranger. She could not make out the features of his face. In her near-hazy vision, she only saw a darkened figure, standing against harsh flashes of colors- calm and collected, in a background of outdated electronic music.

The drunk had released her shoulders but still held on to her arm. His attention was now drawn to her apparent savior, jabbing his finger at the man. He yelled once more.

"It's none of your business! So fuck-!" Before he could finish swearing, the stranger grabbed his arm, effortlessly bending it to the point of almost snapping. The drunken man whined in pain, and released Anna's arm. Anna merely stood and watched as this tall dark stranger, knocked the other man down with a sharp blow to the face.

She was at awe. She had only realized it was all over when this _familiar_ stranger was now standing in front of her. She looked up at his face, and it suddenly became clear- as clear as a weird dream could ever be.

 _"Hello Anna."_

 **OMG. I hope that wasn't too lame. More to come. To be quite honest, there will be little of a 'complicated high-speed chase kind of plot' going on here. _Who could it be?_ :v *shot**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Hello Anna."

His cool low voice struck her hard.

The man held a striking resemblance to him, only- his hair was brown, and he had a short stubble. Anna could have almost doubted herself.

But then she saw the bright color of his eyes. And that very, _very_ familiar gaze.

 _Please no. No fucking way please_.

Anna suddenly felt her world spinning. She tried to turn away, without so much as a word out of her mouth. But her sudden movements caused her to wobble. _Dizzy_.

"Careful." The man eased her up when she bent forward. She looked at him once more. And the second time, made everything clear as crystal. She shrugged him off.

"What the fuck..." Anna hissed. From an outsider's point of view, one would have dismissed her as tired and miffed. But inside her head, she was _seething._ Anna looked around and saw a beer bottle standing on a table. She grabbed it by the neck and swung it at the man that followed behind her.

Obviously, she missed.

The man simply dodged her swing and grabbed the bottle from her hand. He held her arm, and they looked at each other- one incredibly angrier than the other, more ready to kill at the smallest provocation. And it wasn't her.

"Oh my God! Anna!" As though on cue, Margot arrived. Anna felt a pang of terror seeing her cousin approach her and this man. This killer.

"There you are? Are you okay?!" Margot was a bit frantic. But judging by what she saw, she deemed her cousin to be fine. Her stare fell on the man who had quickly released his hold on Anna.

"Who's this?" Margot said with curiosity. She looked at her cousin, back turned from the man. Anna looked at Margot then at _David_.

He looked simply feral.

It was the same awful look he had when they were both alone in her old bedroom. That dark stare that lingered, and had her insides twisted in terror and utter helplessness. Anna felt her eyes water as the memories flooded back. Fear and anger rolled together in one.

"I don't know." It was a wonder her voice didn't crack under the pressure.

Just like that, his expression changed to that of approval and the mood lifted. And yet, it stung her like a scar being cut opened.

"Your friend here was having a little bit too much fun with that guy over there..." He pointed to the drunken mass on the floor who trying to pick himself up. "...Things had gotten aggressive, so I helped her out."

Anna just stared at him helplessly. She didn't bother to think about the British accent he spoke in, or how _damn_ _perfect_ it sounded.

Like a cruel joke, the world let Margot believe that every word was true. Although, she was just slightly more sober than Anna at the moment. And it was a club. _And this man was nothing short of gorgeous_. She nodded thoughtfully in response.

"..Thank you." Margot smiled at him and offered her hand, which he gladly took in his.

"Who are you?" The question was out.

Anna felt like she could just _pass out_.

With a charming grin, and the feeling of impending doom, the man she knew as David replied.

"Kale Parker."

...

Anna woke up with a head ache the next day in the bedroom she shared with Luke. She woke up surprisingly early, considering that they had went home at three in the morning. Even her brother was still fast asleep on the twin bed beside hers. It was a quarter to eight.

She remembered the night before. They were out with friends, they went drinking, and then dancing, she had gotten drunk, made out with a total stranger... _had almost gotten molested... and..._

 _And._

It washed over her like cold water. And it was indeed, a very cold morning.

Her world spun. Anna plopped back down on her bed, trying to make sense of it all. It almost felt real. But she couldn't decide if it was.

 _His face, his eyes, his strong grip_.

Anna's left hand wandered down to her right arm, feeling her wrist and the sensation that the memory brought. It couldn't have been true. She had too much to drink. And to be honest with herself, the rest of the night was rather hazy. She vaguely remembered her and Margot being driven here by one of her cousin's friends. John. _Yes_. He drove them here.

Anna desperately hoped that that was all just a terrible dream. She took a deep breath and prayed, for all the crazy things that happened to her, that it was.

Tiredly, she dragged herself out of her bed, and went down the single flight of stairs that led to the living room and kitchen.

Edgar and Martha had left early for the shop. It was a weekend so she was off. Margot was gone too. It had just occurred to her that the family were morning people.

She went past the living room and entered the kitchen. There was coffee left on the kitchen counter. She grabbed a mug near the sink. She was still a little dizzy.

Anna didn't realize she wasn't alone in the kitchen.

She turned around.

With a huge start, she dropped her mug and it shattered at her feet. She would have screamed if it weren't for how terrified she was, to the point where she was frozen speechless.

Sitting in the dining table, was the last person she wished to ever see again.

David grinned, elbows resting on the table and fingers laced together, contemplatively.

He could change his hair and his get up. But she knew that grin and that stare, anywhere.

 _Holy Shit._

"You passed out last night after I introduced myself to Margot. I'll be honest, it was almost hilarious." He had that damn smug way of talking- which not only scared her, but also began to pissed her off.

"How did you find us?" She croaked. As much as she warned to look strong, Anna sounded utterly broken.

"You probably don't remember. But none of you were sober enough to drive. I did you and your cousin a favor." He flashed a dashing smile, danger just beneath the surface.

"You didn't answer my question." Her voice cracked, her eyes were became watery.

"I had a really good conversation with Margot and her parents this morning. I don't want to assume but I have a feeling that they like me." His calm tone would have soothed anyone else. But it had the exact opposite effect on her.

"I asked, _how the fuck_ did you manage to find us? We're in Europe for fuck's sake." Anna all but yelled. She was losing her patience. She didn't care that a coffee maker was the first thing she could grab. She was very tempted to throw it at him.

David casually smirked at her impatience, then leaned forward.

"You could have been hiding in North Korea, and I'd still find you." He said in a dangerously low voice.

Anna gaped at him for a few seconds.

"...How?" David stared at her quietly.

"You shouldn't ask questions to answers you wouldn't want to hear." She immediately understood what he meant.

"You've killed people." David didn't answer but quietly stood up. By pure instinct, she backed away, only slightly.

"How many?" She firmly demanded, despite herself. David approached her. His aura was cool but undeniably lethal. The palpable tension beneath that tight smile. It was restraint. And it left him with a shaky breath.

"Like I said-"

" _How. Many_?" She repeated, with sheer emphasis. He stopped a meter away. David steadied his breathing, calming himself. He paused to gain back control.

"I don't keep count." He said almost nonchalantly. Anna averted her gaze, mumbling under her breath.

 _"Oh my God..."_

David stared at her critically, noting the obvious disbelief in her voice. "Should it matter to you?" He asked, with a tilt of his chin. This time, he walked over to her.

"All I had ever done was for you and your family..." Anna was even more surprised by this than by his earlier response. She was appalled.

"No."

He smiled.

She wanted to throw herself at him and strangle the man.

" _No_?" He echoed wryly. "Let's review the facts, shall we? I became your dad's best friend- helped him get rid of competition. He was going to be very rich." David paused, smiling fondly- looking rather pleased with himself and his handiwork.

"Your mom. I was like the son she had lost- filled the gap and got her to stop crying all the time." She winced at the memory. That part had hurt. Nevertheless, David disregarded her expression and continued.

"Luke. I taught him how to _fight_. Which did back fire, but never mind that. Still. He learned to stand up for himself." At this, he smirked. That was one thing he was genuinely proud of. But Anna was beginning to feel the sting of her tears as she held them back. He paused, and took a step forward. She took one step back, and felt the edge of the kitchen counter pressed again her waist. Personal space had become non-existent.

"And you." His gaze focused on her.

"I got rid of the people that were dragging you down. Mind you, you had very bad tastes in friends."

Anna felt as though she had been slapped by his insult. He was downgrading her- implying that she wasn't good enough as a person. Who the fuck was he to decide? Fortunately, he had eased off a bit, allowing more breathing room between them. But his grin made everything all the more unnerving.

"So as you can see, I was making your lives fucking swell."

"Yeah… And then you killed my parents, killed my friends. And ruined our lives." She rasped- a near whisper. Tears streamed down her face. She was a mess of feelings. Anger, fear and sorrow. But David didn't mind at all. He had the audacity to smile like it was a joke. A joke.

" _Ruined_? Look at you. You'll be in college in a few months. Just like you wanted. Don't you think your life is a lot better now?"

That was it.

To decide for her what was what, was the tipping point of all the emotions that had bottle up inside. Anna cried out, as she lashed at him. He failed to see that she had been holding a small knife behind her back. The blade had nearly struck his cheek, but his superhuman reflexes captured the blade in his right hand. Anna had a firm grip on the handle. But he was _bigger_ and _stronger_. Her eyes widened as he held the blade tighter, blood seeping out of his curled hand. David didn't do so much as flinch. Nor wince at the pain. But his expression had now turned from smug to kill.

"I wouldn't do that again." He said quietly.

With the blade still in his grip, he yanked the knife from her hand. Anna felt her heart beating wildly, as he examined the cut on his hand, and held the knife in the other.

He looked at her, that dangerous glint in his eyes becoming apparent. He pointed the knife at her face. Anna leaned away, but could no longer move any further, caged between him and the counter. Blood stained the blade. He leaned closer, placed the edge to her cheek.

"I hate to break it to you. But you played your part in the game." Languidly, he slid the blade along her jaw, wiping his blood on her skin. Anna flinched but remained where she was, nervously watching the knife dance. Her worst fears were standing right in front of her, in the form of a serial killer and expert tracker.

"Maybe if you had kept your mouth shut _, you and I would be in very different circumstances right now_." He said huskily, his breath, ghosting her lips. She shivered, and by no means was it in a good way.

Anna did not know what to do. She froze. Terrified, and unknowing. He could kill her right then and there. And yet, he could spare her life.

David withdrew, taking a few steps back. Anna felt the air return to her, along with her sanity. David placed the knife on the dining table. He took a nearby kitchen towel and wiped his hand on it.

"I just came by to see how you were doing." He said coolly.

He walked out of the kitchen. Anna didn't move from the spot until he had gone. She followed him to the living room. There, he turned around to look at her. His cheeky demeanor had returned, and he smiled.

"I'll see you around. And don't call me David _. We wouldn't want my cover being blown_."

He looked up at the flight of stairs to see a very _stunned_ Luke who had woken up from the small commotion.

The boy paled, his eyes wide awake. The man's smile widened.

"Oh hey Luke. Nice haircut."

David walked out of the house, leaving behind two confused and traumatized children.

 **And the fun begins. Yay. David is a psycho. Let's face it. He will always want to scare the shit out of her and Luke.**

 **Hope y'all like this chapter. Honestly, I feel like this is where the story actually begins. Still considering _smut_ for later on. Is it wrong that I'm partly motivated by that? :P Guilty pleasure. You know you want some David. That's why you're here. lol _jk_**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The faint rustling of leaves. The far calls of an unknown avian species. The eerie silence of the mysterious wilderness.

A lone fawn stood in the middle of the thick conifer forest, dimmed by the gray weather. There was the slightest movement, then a small snap. The deer's head shot up from the shrubbery, its hypersensitive ears twitching. But it had taken too long to see the present danger.

Ffft!

Ffft!

The animal dropped dead- one bullet to the heart, a bullet to the head. It died instantly.

Twenty meters away, the hunter stood, breathing out a thick puff of smoke from the cigar in his mouth. He lowered his silenced sniper. A critical look on his face-hardly impressed. He spent more than the day hunting for the thing, but even the hunt wasn't enough.

 _Damn._ He wished there was a bear he could wrestle with. The man smirked to himself, amused by the extremity of the idea and how bold he was feeling. But if a bear did just walked in right now, he was fairly certain he'd win-one way or another.

...

A strange itch had crept in ever since he left their house- a lustfulness that he loathed but thrilled in all at once.

That morning after he left the Banks residence, he immediately drove out of town- out of civilization- to the wilderness to go hunting.

A much needed release.

For when he had shot the poor thing, he had imagined the deer to be a person. A woman.

David walked towards his kill. The soft crackle of crushed leaves along with the faint symphony of crickets compensated for the unnerving silence. The man looked down at its carcass, staring at the blood that pooled around it, and the glassy emptiness of its eye. He fired perfect shots. David grimaced at the sight.

Well... It would be a waste to just leave it lying here. This would make a nice rug?

He knelt down and pulled out a hunting knife- skinned the whole thing.

 _Deer. He had never tasted some._ If knives and guns couldn't kill him, then anthrax sure wouldn't.

He spent the afternoon in the forest, sitting by a warm fire, and roasted deer.

David silently finished his fill. He actually liked this. Killing in peace. The forest was a refreshing change of scenery. After he had cleaned his hands from the grease, he stood up and flexed his neck from side to side.

It had just occurred to him that sometime while he was skinning the animal, the rush had died down.

More or less satiated, he cleaned up the mess and doused the fire. Leisurely, he slung his sack of deer hide over his shoulder and walked back to his car by the road, and drove back to town.

Looking back, he almost couldn't believe the lengths he went through to get to where he was now.

The life of a fugitive in America had made him resort to hiding in its underbelly for some time, getting acquainted with the shady side of town. He earned a living. there, just briefly. Enough to get quick money and get the hell out. He couldn't stand being around those lowlifes who were no different than the men he fought in Afghanistan.

David had once contemplated on revenge. Revenge for what the military did- to him and his friend. But even a single war machine couldn't possibly take down a heavily armed facility without a good plan and enough resources. Moreover, the world will probably want to kill him after that. And the enemies he fought in the Far East might just laugh. He tucked the idea away for now. Self-preservation was a more enticing option.

Three months ago, he had arrived in this English town. He found a small inn to stay in for the time being. He knew his money would run out sooner or later, so he quickly found a job as a mechanic in a car shop.

Selling himself was easy enough. The car shop owner liked his spunk. He had potential to be a good employee. Only, among his war comrades, he was the _shittiest_ at engineering. He smiled and lied and ran to the next bookstore to start reading up on automobiles. He learned fast.

Later on, after settling some papers, he rented a small apartment. Much like the homes there, it was quaint, and a little rustic. A little too homey and old for his modern man tastes, but it charmed him nonetheless. More importantly, it was far from the Banks home.

He wanted to stay close, and yet keep some distance. Part of his grand escape, was to _actually_ escape. He felt he was entitled to a fresh start. Wasn't he?

In retrospect, moving into the same place the Petersons were hiding in, was not what he would call a fresh start. But the one thing that he could no longer stand, was being on his own for too long. And by 'on his own', he didn't just mean being alone.

It was being lonely.

To have someone know who and _what_ he was, and to be able to _talk_ to that person, made living a little more honest. Because, he was all about deceit and it was sometimes too much. He was built to hide his identity, but the small bit of humanity left didn't like the isolation.

This realization surprised David. He felt hope- that not all of him was gone for good. But it had taken him quite a while to grasp the idea.

He liked that Anna and Luke were in on his secret. He knew they were in on it. They had to be, because... it would be a _very_ bad idea to start talking. A small, deeply repressed part of him felt sorry for doing this to he knew that as long as they would stay quiet, he'd be safe here too.

 _It also made keeping his promise easier._

 _..._

He arrived at his apartment early in the evening. He turned the brass knob and entered through its small door. Unceremoniously, he dropped the sack of hide on the wooden plank floor in the living, and immediately shed off his shirt to take a shower. He smelled of deer blood and earth. Like a wild animal. Which he did not like. And of course, he valued personal hygiene which was a privilege back in his days in the Middle East.

Before he made his way to the small bathroom, he passed by a small set of pictures he had arranged above the hearth. David stopped to look at them. They were filled with very little memories. But these memories were some of the greatest.

One was of him and his friends. He was but a no-good troublemaker then. His lived a typical sad story- messy, constantly moving around under foster care. Difficult would best describe his childhood. But his backstreet pals made it worth something.

One was of him and Caleb in their army uniforms. A sad longing came over him as he pondered over this one. And the memory of this photograph brought in many more- some, the best in his life and some, the worst.

Then the latest addition to his small keepsakes- the Peterson kids.

When he had taken the photo from their torn down home, it was half by impulse. Luke and Anna looked happy in the picture- happiness that only felt natural, with nothing to hide. He could only guess that it was taken before the news of the untimely death of their brother.

He looked back at Caleb's cheerful face on the other photograph.

A small sigh escaped his half parted lips. He made a promise. And he wasn't going to break it _again_.

Before he got even more distracted, he remembered he had to take a shower.

...

It had been extremely difficult to find this place. But it had only been a matter of days before he found them _._

Call him a creepy stalker. He knew what it looked liked. But as long as no one caught on, then it really wouldn't matter. There were a dozen times he had wanted to approach them. But being straight forward, he knew would not be a wise decision. People wouldn't recognize him as a biologically engineered super soldier. But stalker? Pedophile (he cringed)? Now those were some things he could easily come across as. So, he kept a distance. They weren't hiding though. It had been quite easy to spot them.

David saw Luke very often. Even before their encounter. The boy liked moving around these days.

He was fairing well on his own- found a few friends. but he was often around this other kid. Rob, he heard the name from afar.

One afternoon, he was sitting outside a little coffee shop. He saw the two exit a book store across the street, a few buildings away. Luke had placed an arm around his friend, laughing. David smiled.

A few more times, he had seen them enter and exit the shop. It may have been their favorite hangout. It was always just the two of them.

Despite how absolutely normal this was, David couldn't help but tilt his head in wonder at the sight of their interactions. He frowned not because he disapproved but simply because he was puzzled in the beginning.

It didn't take long for him to realize that Luke and Rob had crossed the boundaries of platonic friendship. David quirked his mouth in understanding, nodded to himself and let it be. It really was a real a hate crime back in Luke's old high school. He didn't quite believe what he was saying to the principal then. It was just a smart way to get Luke out of big trouble. Knowing only made him feel all the more responsible to keep the boy out of danger.

Anna, he saw often but seldom moving about. Ironic. She should be the one who was out more. She was twenty-one. The young woman should be living life. Understandable. She had suffered the biggest blow when he had entered into their lives.

When he first saw her, the first thing that had registered were the soft golden waves of her new hairstyle. He found it to suit her more. Mature. Beautiful.

But what he could never forget about her, was her insightfulness. How was it that she easily recognized the danger when everyone else couldn't? He'd be damned, if he said he hadn't misjudged her- thinking she was no different than the idiots she called friends at that party. Although, he had been sloppy covering up. He admitted, he was quit confident about the Petersons; they seemed like a sad, average unsuspecting family. Not their daughter.

It was frustrating, but undeniably impressive.

Then again, she was much like Caleb in that respect. He shouldn't be too surprised.

It was too bad she hated him- with a passion, he was certain. Because he really did want to get to know her.

David had learned recently that she was working in a small retail shop in the town proper. He would see her leaning on the cashier counter. Most days, she had this very bored expression when she thought no one was looking. He compared it to that of a cat lazing around on a dull afternoon. It was when she'd yawn that made the sight almost amusing.

...

For three months, he watched them.

But now that they knew he was here, it made no sense to keep hiding his presence.

 **Alright. Some character development. A David POV. Hope this was okay. Because, David is sort of an enigma. I'm not entirely good at analyzing characters, so it helped when I read someone's analysis online. Hope I can still capture his persona and build a story around it.**

 **Also hope this chapter wasn't weird. Not so sure bout the flow since it was written during different times this week.**

 **Next chapter- back to you, Anna!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Oooh. Late update. It's probably going to take much longer the next time :( Terribly sorry. Y'know college times. Plus I'm having my Thesis. Can't thank you enough for reading this fic, guys. :'D It makes me motivated.**

 **Hope you like this chapter.**

Chapter 6

Dark bags rimmed the bottom of her eyes-nicely concealed by foundation.

She wanted to scream in agony, so badly, but she couldn't.

It has been week since she'd seen the devil. But the time had done little to put her at ease. It just ate her up from the inside out. Anxiety took the form of insomnia and a lack of appetite.

Anna urged Luke to take care of himself. But he was handling the situation just as bad as she was.

At least it was the opposite. He slept more.

She went to work feeling worn out. She didn't even bother to look good, resorting to keeping her hair in a tight clean bun, to hide how dull it was looking.

The mixed scents of the perfumes and bathroom commodities of the retail shop only made her nauseous and slump down on the counter. Edgar and Mary had left town for a small business trip, leaving her along in the shop. She was glad they couldn't see her like this. But Margot couldn't have picked a better time to visit her at work.

She had been trying to hide the distress from her cousin ever since but she was terrible at faking how sick the situation was making her feel. Margot had taken her by surprise, visiting without her knowing. This caught Anna off guard, and her exhaustion became more apparent.

"Ann, are you alright?" Anna tiredly looked up at her cousin who was standing at the other side of the counter. Margot, she had this soft, refined way of talking. Maybe it was just the way the British sounded to foreign ears, but today it was surprisingly melodic to her.

"Yeah. Why do you ask?" Anna replied nonchalantly. Margot raised a brow. "Really? You know, you're not that hard to read. Something's been bothering you ever since the party." Sigh. This would have been so much easier if it were mom and dad. They still couldn't tell how she was really feeling even if it hit them. _Killed them._

"Come on. You can tell me." Anna forced a smile.

"It's nothing. I've been feeling a little sick lately." That was true.

Margot stared at her in sympathy. Sweet and caring.

"Sick? Like a head ache or a stomach ache? I can get you medicine. How bad is it?" Her doe eyes looked at her with concern.

"Marj, Marj. I'm okay. I'll live. I just haven't been sleeping well."

"I'll get you sleeping pills- it's right around the corner." Before Anna could protest, Margot had briskly walked out of the small shop.

Anna laughed shakily, amused by her overly concerned cousin, but exhausted.

She plopped back down on her stool in the counter leaning on its surface.

Minutes passed and she grabbed her phone, bored out of her mind. She opened a game app to take her mind off of some things.

Anna hardly noticed the customer that came in.

"Miss?" Anna fumbled with her phone, nearly dropping it. She looked up, flustered when she realized that the elderly customer had been standing by the counter for a couple of seconds by now.

The old lady greeted her with a warm smile, a basket of scented bath soaps in front of her on the wooden counter.

"That'll be seven pounds, ma'am." Anna said with a crooked smile. The lady's watery eyes sparkled with humor.

"Best to put that down, luv. If I could startle ye, I dun know how you'd handle younger company."

Anna chuckled. "Thanks."

The Irish woman nodded in return and moved away. Anna shook her head fondly- going back to the game she had paused. The next customer stepped in. And as they say, listen to your elders.

Anna looked up and yelped.

 _"Motherfucker!"_

"Bite your tongue, young lady!" The old woman called out. She was barely out the door and had very well heard the vulgar outburst.

Anna instantaneously backed away a few feet, crashing against the shelves of boxes of plastic perfume bottles behind her.

His small smile would have been sunshine in England for anyone else.

"You _kiss_ your mother with that mouth?" He quipped, turning his head slightly.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" She near-whispered, trembling.

David huffed, slightly exasperated and shrugged. At this point, her reactions had become rather repetitive and tiresome. "Y'know I'm starting to think you're going to overreact each time you see me."

Anna gawked at him- a mixture of shock and bewilderment in her expression.

"Relax. I'm just a customer today."

Still no reply. David gingerly placed the basket on the counter, pursing his lips as he proved his point. Anna carefully looked down at the basket and its contents.

"... There are cheaper towels and soap in the supermarket."

David smirked. "That's poor sales talk. Not only did you give away your customer to a competitor but you also made a prejudgment on his economic status."

Anna simply stared at him, apprehensive and unamused. All the while, she was clenching her fists together very tightly.

"Well, you don't look like the type to walk into a perfume gift shop... Just broadening your options."

David smiled at her knowingly- obviously quite comfortable. And knowing that, just made the situation all the more aggravating to her.

"You're assuming. What makes you think I don't know my way around town?" Anna internally scoffed.

"You're not from here." It sounded more timid than she intended it to be.

"I get around."

"Do you?" Anna had said this as an afterthought.

"Are you underestimating me?"

"I don't know... Am I?" She said rather carefully, throwing the question back at him. David watched her intently, amused by the ounce of bravery in her effort to maintain some ground.

"Clearly you've learned very little about me." He replied smoothly.

Something like fire burst inside her. A sudden change- from apprehension to a strange surge of deep resentment. Anna tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowed-her expression challenging him.

 _"Well, we're certainly not who we say we are, now are we?"_

It was said with a lot more confidence than she knew she had. And it was all it took to wipe that smile off his face.

Silence stretched between them. This time, Anna refused to cower in front of him. And yet it had never become less unnerving to stare back at the intensity in those eyes- unyielding and very focused on her.

"Kale?"

Suddenly, the world was once again existent.

Both simultaneously turned their heads. Anna was just about dumbfounded by her cousin's impeccable timing. David took a side glance at Anna, one brow raised slightly.

"It's good to see you!" Margot beamed, completely oblivious of what had transpired. At that, both shared a mutual understanding- that they now shared secret.

The tension immediately dissipated. David grinned, charming as usual- an effortless change in demeanor which unfortunately was impossible to pull off for Anna. Margot approached the two, first looking at her unnerved cousin then at David. She noticed the apprehension immediately, though Margot didn't think much of it at that moment.

"You kept your promise." She said. David chuckled lightly much to Anna's revulsion.

"Told you I would visit the shop." The man once again returned to speaking in the British accent. Anna noted, with as much awe as disgust that the bastard was speaking to Margot like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Anna, have you been properly introduced to..?" This time, Margot turned to her cousin, waiting for a response. Anna just stared at her with a perturbed look in her eyes which was impossible to miss. Feeling rather awkward, Margot pursed her lips together.

"This is Kale Parker. We met him at the club." She turned to David once more, who had been smiling the whole time. Anna's expression was frozen in a sort of disbelief. The sheer irony of being introduced to him was almost laughable. If- their lives hadn't depended on keeping quiet.

"So now you've properly met my cousin Anna." Margot grinned, just before remembering the thing she rushed off to earlier.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Here is some _Ambien_..." Margot busied herself with rummaging through the plastic bag, unaware of the coy smile on David and the wide eyed glare Anna made. Margot finally dug out the small packet.

"It'll help you get some sleep." Anna took it wordlessly, eyes not once leaving the man that stood in front of her.

The awkward silence returned. Margot swished around bashfully, more than eager to break the peculiar atmosphere.

"It was nice seeing you Kale..." Tentatively, she stretched out her hand to shake his. Anna sighed to herself. _Thank God, she could now catch a br-_

"Maybe you'd like to hang out some time?..."

Anna went rigid. _Oh shit_. Margot continued.

"My friends and I are off to a camping trip in the end of the month." David's smile grew wider. _Oh no. No_.

"Would you like to tag along? Anna is going too."

"That sounds great."

"No that's terrible!"

"Anna!" Margot exclaimed, shocked by her cousin's reaction. She looked at her, demanding a good explanation. Anna mentally fumbled for a legitimate reason. But how could she even begin to explain?

She stared at David who was looking rather smug. He was absolutely frustrating and yet Anna couldn't help but stare at him pleadingly.

Margot stared at her cousin, quirking a brow-confused and suddenly wondering as to what was really going on. She looked back at "Kale" apologetically.

"I'm sorry. She's just a little..." She trailed off as David calmly turned to her, a placid expression on his face. He shook his head and smiled.

"No. I should be apologizing. I wouldn't want to impose. I completely understand how she feels, since she hardly knows me...Maybe in the near future when your cousin feels ready." He nodded, smiling very sincerely. Whole-heartedly. Anna would have had the guts to sneer at his display of civility, if it weren't for how grateful she felt at that moment.

"Anyway, I'll see you around." At that, David turned around and finally left the shop. But not without a last glance at the two. The doorbell chimed closed.

Anna felt herself relax, and her body slacken. She had almost forgotten how tired she actually felt.

Margot immediately switched her attention to her cousin.

"Anna, what's really going on?" Her cousin stared at her with a worried expression. Anna shook her head.

" _Nothing_." Margot pursed her lips, unconvinced.

"Anna, I'm not entirely oblivious. I kind of figured out that Kale was making you uncomfortable." _You don't say?_ Frustration welled up in her but it only made her look more helpless.

"He's not so bad when you get to know him. Every time I meet him, we've only ever had nice things to talk about." Margot added.

Anna couldn't believe the absurdity of the situation. Was she just told that the man that had threatened her and killed her friends and family, was _"not so bad"?_

"He's very friendly." _Too friendly_. She wanted to say that. Anna sighed heavily, coming up with the vaguest response she could think of.

"I don't trust him."

The surprised look on her cousin was expected.

"Why not? He helped you out back in the club. He even carried you all the way to the car that night." Margot replied insistently.

"Marj-" _Wait._ Anna had to do a double-take on that last part. "You didn't mention that before." Margot shrugged.

"Sorry. It was kind of a haze for me too."

Anna looked at her cousin cautiously. "Margot, you shouldn't spend so much time with him." The woman sighed.

"Ann, I know that things had been very rough for you over the months… But, you shouldn't be afraid to make new friends."

Yes. _New_ friends. David wasn't particularly "new" to her.

"What about John, Jenna and Katelyn?"

"They were my friends first. I mean, new people."

"You mean strangers."

"Not exactly what I meant. I just want you to be okay. I haven't known you for so long, but I can tell when you're afraid. And you shouldn't keep going on like this." Margot placed a tender hand on her shoulder.

Anna looked at her, dejectedly. Seconds ticked away before she spoke again.

"...Give me some time. I haven't quite gotten over what happened." Margot nodded. She understood; it was completely understandable.

"But trust me, when I say, keep your distance from Kale." Anna quickly added. Margot quirked a brow.

"There's just something off about him. Just don't." Anna interjected, not allowing her cousin to ask further questions.

Margot quirked the side of her mouth. Anna was glad her cousin was not one to go into too much detail.

"Alright." She finally said. Margot turned to look through the large shop window. Both of them hadn't realized that the man they were talking about still hadn't left their sights. He was across the road, apparently just exiting a neighboring store. For a moment, they silently watched him, before Margot spoke.

"Oh God... Staying away from him will be a lot harder than I thought." Now it was Anna's turn to quirk her brow, bewildered by the conclusion.

"I'm sorry, Anna. But it's not every day that a man that handsome and charming, walks into your life." Oh boy. That was her, like months ago. Anna dead panned when her cousin wasn't looking.

Margot lazily smirked as she leaned backwards on the counter, admiring the view.

The thought of her cousin and David together was absolutely disgusting. And the fact that Margot was saying all these things in a dreamy, old English fashion was just plain disturbing. Anna's eye twitched, visibly repulsed by the idea of him and her cousin getting together. She shook her head and replied firmly.

"You can do much better." Margot simply chuckled.

...

Closing time was five in the afternoon. Anna was thankful that she never had to stay after dark. Especially now that she met the psycho. Margot had left earlier to visit a friend. Mr. and Mrs. Banks had probably went straight home after their day trip.

The day had left her plenty to ponder on- mostly about her conversation with Margot.

She had been very sullen ever since the tragedy. Anna could comfortably admit, she was willing to let go of the past events. However, on the subject of befriending the person that had caused them, Anna was fairly certain, she'd have to be a complete lunatic to do so. That, had been running through her mind like a loop. The worst of it, was that she didn't know who to turn to. Her younger brother was always going to be out of the question. No, if anything, she knew she had to be strong for both of them.

Just as Anna pulled down the metal security door to the shop, she was in for the second surprise of the day. Albeit, just as unpleasant as the last. But at least, less startling, as she had seen the bastard first, casually walking towards her yards away.

She was keenly aware of how nervous she was. But somehow she didn't feel as though she was in any sort of danger. The dozens of witnesses all around them was comforting. But who's to say he wasn't just going to shoot her on the spot- and far worse, _bomb the whole town?_ Anna silently prayed for nothing of the sort.

The man walked up to her, hands in both his pockets. Anna didn't allow herself to let her guard down. For safety reasons, she had always kept pepper spray with her, and this time it was nicely tucked in her coat. She knew not to let her anger get the best of her. After all, there was little she could do. The man was a freak of nature with a dark sense of humor and had a rather smug way of expressing his knowledge of the law.

A strange combination of qualities that made him very unpredictable.

David stopped two meters away, obviously avoiding whatever conclusions passersby would draw out of their interactions. Seeing as he was just going to be standing there, she went back to working on the lock.

"What?" Anna said rather softly, but loud enough for his ears. There was an unusual hesitance that seemed to radiate off him before he spoke.

"I thought about our conversation a while ago, and you're right. I haven't gotten around as much to see the whole place," David called out. His Kentucky accent had returned. She looked up, piqued by his admission.

"What does that have to do with me?" Yes. What did that have to do with her?

David smiled. And by now, Anna knew that nothing good ever came out from that damn smile. The man seemed to enjoy making her regret anything that came out of her mouth.

"I want to go around town... and I want you to come with me." He said. A simple request, which was by far the meekest thing he had ever said to her- in like... ever. This came as a shock.

She fully turned to the man, surprisingly bold enough to stare daggers at him.

 _"Excuse me."_ It was hardly a question. It could have very well been an unspoken threat in other circumstances.

"Come on. You've been here longer. I might have missed some things you know of by now." He insisted, this time, more confidently.

"If you're looking for a date, you can go back to that club and find a cheap ho to show you around. You'll be getting a lot _more_ out of it." She retorted sharply. David frowned, a little hurt by that kind of perception of him. The day's events had made her rather rash with her words.

"That's not what I'm looking for."

"Of course not. A person who gets around, certainly needs a tour guide." The sarcasm was not lost on him. He slowly walked up to her, closer. Anna visibly tensed, carefully watching him, and already holding the hidden pepper spray in her coat pocket.

"In case you haven't realized, you owe me for turning down your cousin's invitation." His voice was cool and silent- at ease compared to the reaction that came next.

 _"What?_ I don't owe you for anything! Especially that. You owe me for ruining my life." Anna exclaimed.

She was appalled. There he goes again. She was still amazed by his audacity to impose on her.

"Opening an opportunity." He quipped. Anna looked at him vehemently.

"Don't ever call it that. You have no _right_ to claim anything over me." She practically spat out the words, like venom. David eyed her intently, unfazed the entire time. He was suddenly quiet, apparently considering her demand. The silence only stretched. Anna was almost convinced he was going to leave her statement at that.

"Of course not..." He agreed.

His response had completely put her off. The man was damn strange and confusing. Just full of surprises. No sooner did she start doubting him, did he speak once more.

"But right and power can mean entirely different things." He said rather quietly.

The man's words puzzled her.

But when he moved even closer, it suddenly made sense.

David made one step forward- one step too close, and she flinched in response. _There._

His cool expression filled tension in the air.

" _I'm bigger than you_."

The sound of arrogance was more shocking than the irony of the near-forgotten statement. There was a dangerous edge to his tone as he echoed the very words he had said to her a long time ago. She wondered if he was fully aware of the effect they had on her; it felt like all her defenses crumbled, and the strong face slipped away.

Anna swallowed hard. David smiled with satisfaction. She was quite easy to frighten. And frightened people were quite easy.

"It's really interesting how fast your expression changes. One minute you are yelling at me, and the next, you look like I'm about to do something horrible to you." He said fondly. Anna stood glued to the spot, helpless but forcing a hard stare. It wasn't enough to convince him that she was otherwise.

"Pick you up at 9 tomorrow night."

David turned around and walked away.

Anna was speechless.

She stood there for what felt like an eternity trying to piece together what had just happened, and how it ended. Yet, one thing that did not escape her was the reality that he had always frightened her. Always. It hadn't numbed over the months. And it might never go away.

Anna only felt her hate for him grow.

 **Relatively long chap. R &R? :v **

**Sadly, I wrote this weeks ago and finished it just now. So, I'm afraid it might feel all over the place? I tried to keep a flow in the changing mood because apparently, Anna seems quite temperamental. I dunno bout David. He's just cray cray. Also. Was it a Kentucky accent? Dan Stevens mentioned the kind of accent he used. Forgot. And I'm not American. Kind of hard to distinguish.**


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